Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-10-01
GOING FOR THE CHIEF.
The Hose Commission Charge Inquired
Into and Exploded.


The degree of local interest awakened
by the Fire Department imbroglio was
quickened still more a day or two
since, by public limitations or charges
that Chief Engineer Sullivan had abused
his trust by lining his pockets at the ex-
pense of the city; in short that he has
been dishonest. If the charges are true
they ought to speedily consign Sullivan to
prison and his name to obliquy; If they
are groundless, common justice demands
that he should be given the Denent OF the
proof of his innocence. One OF the grayest,
if not the principal statement made OF
dishonesty by that official was, that he had
speculated N fire hose recently bought Tor
the city-that is, had received a commas
sion or shave. and pocketed It, and thus the
city had been charged more Tor hose than
was Just and right. The RECORD MON
Yesterday investigated that matter, and de-
veloped these facts from official records and
files:
The Paid Fire Department of Sacra-
mento did recently buy in San Francisco
600 feet of rubber hose in tifty-foot
lengths. The books show the order, the
presentation of the bill, its approval and
spreading on the minutes, and the order
for payment. The price is billed ct 81 10
per foot, the aggregate being $l,15O. The
purchase was made of the Gutta Percha
and Rubber Manufacturing Company,
James +. Hough and w. +. Bowers.
agents, San Francisco, at 10 First street
The California State Bank, of this city,
was the agency through which the Fire
Commission made payment, and the records
in that bank show that draft was drawn
on San Francisco for the amounts, 100
in favor of the manufacturing company's
agents there. and having been paid, the
usual return of the banks draft has been
made to it. In addition, there is on file in
the department papers this receipt:
San FRANCISCO, August l, 1887.
Received from city of Sacramento eleven
hundred and fifty dollars, in full account Fire
Department.
THE GUTTA PERCHA AND RUBBER MFG Co.
S1,i50. Per LUrGEN.
After the foregoing evidence of the trans
action had been found and examined yes
terday, Chief Engineer Sullivan was met,
with the following letter in his hand. He
stated that it came to him unsolicited and
unexpected, though he was conscious that
no one could truthfully say he had received
a single cent or any promise OF payment
for any hose transaction, or that he had de-
frauded the city of Sacramento of a farth-
Ing. IL Will De ODSeIEeu tudl 'ue lelltI Is
from the agent of the Gutta Percha and
Rubber Manufacturing Company already
referred to.
SAN FRANCISCO, September %. 1887.
c. Suliirdil Sacramento We noticed the article
in this mornings Chronicle, and at once said that
we simply did not believe the honorable Mayor
of your city charged you with receiving COM
mission on hose purchased from us, because
such a charge would be so false and unjust, and
Of course without foundation. The Mayor has
just called on us, and we have assured him that
any commission from us for sale OF fire hose, We
have said to him that we cannot understand
how any person could make such Il charge. and
have told him that you had nothing to do with
the purchase that the hose was ordered by Mr..
Grif1itts. and billed at our regular and only
price. We remain sincerely yours,
w. F. BOWERS, Agent.
The facts as to this hose purchase are
thus exhausted, and from the letter to
Sullivan, given above, it appears that the
hose merchants in San Francisco who sold
the goods have been visited by the Mayor
there, and Indignantly deny that there was
any shave or speculation in the transaction,
and hasten to give Sullivan the benefit of
their testimony to that effect. More than
this, that Sullivan had nothing to do with
tie purchase of the hose but that it was
bought by President Griffitts. of the Board
of Fire Commissioners. This statement
drops Sullivan out of the mat
ter, and, therefore, the unsupported in
or charge, which has been given
to the public, and which, if true, would
blast the mans reputation for life, falls to
the ground.